Teki
by Mokushi Roku
Summary: AU fic based on Mononoke Hime: Dark times for the Konoha has approached as of late and their forces grow weak. Sakura an anbu squad leader fights desperately against the opposing forces. Until one day she meets fateful forces who hold cursed lives
1. I am

N/A: This is something I've kept saved on my comp for a while, so I finally decided to post it. Man I have too many uncompleted projects still, but I wanted to see the reactions from readers this thing would get. Alternate Universe. Japanese Terms used.

* * *

Daybreak.

Sakura opened her drooping eyes as the sun's light pierced through her heavy eyelids. The cold sky shone brightly as the last of the nighttime's shade began to withdraw. She stood there as she watched the colours shining from the illuminating light. She looked to her companions standing across the wide walls, who many of them stood firm and tall though Sakura could see the weariness in their eyes as well. She let out a sigh and closed her eyes as she lowered her head.

Another silent and still night had just passed by.

What was going on? No attacks, no nothing. Everything was much to peaceful then they had expected. Too much so that it was disturbing.

Or was it that she should feel relieved instead?

"Standing on guard all night Sakura?"

Sakura turned around with a weary face and groaned to see a girl from behind. Her long white blonde ponytail flowed in the wind as she stood there, hands on her hips with a smirk of amusement on her face.

"My, my. Konoha's top captain, sleeping on the job. Mattaku, if you ever became Hokage, the entire village would be in ruins right on the first day. They may have made you one the village's _tokubetsu jounin_, but I still think it was a complete mistake."

"Shut up Ino-pig. Don't make me hurt you," Sakura yawned as she casually turned her gaze back over to the outside walls over the horizon. The sun was already beginning to rise high into the sky. The horizon was becoming brighter.

"Hurt me?" Ino stood back pretending to be threatened, "Ha! You couldn't even lay a scratch on me. I'm just as strong as you are, as well as any other kunoichi in the village!"

"Hai, hai. Sugoi, sugoi," Sakura said carelessly as she rested her arms over the walls and continued to keep watch, "Ino, what are doing here anyway? Isn't there something better for you to do for the village other than come here and tease me? I thought people like you didn't bother wasting time on me."

"Iie, chigau," Ino said shaking her head, now putting on a more serious tone as she joined Sakura by the wall, "Papa told me to keep on watch too. Several jounin have arrived back from their spy mission from the Wind Country bringing back disturbing news."

"What is did they say?" Sakura asked facing Ino with a look of concern.

"The Sand-nin are expected to strike Konoha soon. Very soon. I know that the entire village has been expecting for months already, but still . . ."

"This really is indeed unexpected news," Sakura said finishing her sentence, "I knew it, I guess it was just an instinct that I ordered for more Shinobi to stand on guard tonight."

**

* * *

**

**TEKI **

_Enemy_

MOKUSHI ROKU

Naruto Alternate Universe fic. Slightly based on Mononoke Hime.These titles belong to their rightful owners. Yoroshiku.

_(Japanese terms listed on the bottom)_

* * *

"So that's why I've seen you hang around here lately," Ino laughed weakly, "I guess it wasn't because you didn't have a life."

"Those damned Sand-nin," Sakura spat bitterly as she glared down into the forests below, "You never know where they could be hiding. Somehow I have a feeling they're right under our noses this very moment."

Ino glanced at Sakura for a moment then looked away into the forests as joining her gaze as scanned the forest's layer.

"You know Sakura," Ino began quietly, "Ever since they made you an Anbu captain leader, you've been taking the job a bit too seriously."

Sakura paused then turned towards Ino with confused eyes.

"No one's expecting that much out of you," Ino said haughtily, "You may seem a whole lot superior now, but you're still all the same to me."

Sakura said nothing as she blushed then gave a glare as she turned away.

Ino sighed as she went on, "I don't know why they even made you a jounin in the first place. To me you're all brains, not strength. That's why everyone thinks so highly of you. The Hokage thought you'd make a good leader, even though the members on your team are probably stronger than you are."

"Shinobi saying #47," Sakura said as she pointed a wagging finger at Ino, "Strength comes in many different forms. To what true strength is, is for the beholder to decide. Besides, I'm strong enough to face on the best. Survival of the Fittest. Anyways, these men might be strong, but without a level-headed leader to keep them in place, they'd be worthless to use in missions."

"I know that, but that's not what I'm trying to say," Ino protested which made Sakura stop in surprise, "Sakura I know you really mean the best for the village, but don't take this so seriously that you'll jump in without thinking first. You have a tendency to do that you know. The more seriously you take this job; it'll just all get to your head. I just don't want you overreacting so that you'll do something stupid."

The two girls fell silent as Sakura stared at Ino with disbelief. Were these words actually coming out of the mouth of her archrival? This really wasn't like Ino to be acting this way. She had known her long enough for that to be a fact.

"You're scared aren't you?" Sakura asked softly, "The Sand ninja scare you that much."

Ino paused, and then let gave a small sad frown, "Everyone believes that there's going to be a war. A war between us and the entire world."

"I guess so," Sakura sighed, "Konoha's strength is increasing rapidly, and countries are starting to fear us now. Some just want our power. They're starting to make secret alliances between our backs. First the Wind Country, who have been our allies for over a decade already, are joining forces with the Sound. Many of the missing-nin that left our village years and years ago, and escaped our hunter-nins have sought revenge upon us. I'm not surprised if Demons starting attacking us as well."

"The first thing that we've got on our hands right now are those Sand-nin. They're damn strong. One of them could probably take on ten of our best men, from what I've heard," Ino muttered.

"It's their weapons that make them strong. They're weapons are so advanced, they can create powerful jutsus just be using them. I call it rather amazing."

"Ch' well I call it playing cheap. Just by using weapons cuts off their load of training. I bet without their weapons they're just nothing."

"Well, we'll have to see about that," Sakura said, "I've never faced Sand ninja before, which might be a great disadvantage. However I do know of the kind of techniques they use, its just that maybe even all that information's I've learned is a lie."

Ino glanced at her with a disapproving look. But then smirked as she got up from her spot, "Mouchiro kono deko-deko, everything to you always doesn't seem right. I guess the world's not perfect for you is it? Anyways, it's time I began taking watch now, as you said it's a waste of time being with people like you."

Sakura gave a smirk back as she stuck out her tongue, "Whatever you say Ino-pig."

The two laughed as Ino began to leave, when suddenly a sudden flash appeared by Sakura's side. A ninja stood there as it took both girls by surprise.

"Shikamaru!" Ino gasped, "You're back!"

"Nara-san!" Sakura said with a surprised look, "Hisashiburi. Don't tell me you were one of the jounin who were on that spy mission?"

"Hai, hai. I tell you later. Come quick Haruno, something has just happened down by the gates. We've got to hurry," Shikamaru said impatiently.

Sakura exchanged worried looks with Ino as she nodded and the three of them went and disappeared in a flash.

* * *

"Damnit the sun's already beginning to rise, we should have been able to take over the entire village just in one night. It's only on orders that they wanted us to strike at dawn. They would have been more vulnerable when they had been sleeping."

Temari turned to face her younger brother as she frowned from the piercing chill. She faced him with a scowl on her face.

"Kankuro! Don't you think you're being a little hasty here?" Temari hissed at him, as she lay low in the undergrowth along with her brothers, "We've arrived at the correct time and place, but we can't start the attack now. Our orders were to wait until more of our Shinobi have arrived. We don't have enough men right now!"

"Relax, I bet the three of us could probably handle it on our own. Leaf ninja are pathetic anyways. We will carry out the first mission starting now," Kankuro replied back while Temari just gave a disapproving scowl.

"It doesn't matter, we don't need any of those meddlesome idiots to help us out anyway. A Sea of Blood will be spilt in Konoha on this day."

Both Temari and Kankuro whirled their heads to meet their younger brother. His arms were crossed casually yet his eyes showed that he feared nothing.

"Everyone will die in this village and the Sand will claim victorious. They shall die, and I will live on. It doesn't matter when we start, it all ends up the same way in the end."

"G-Gaara, but we can't! Baki said to-" Temari protested.

"I don't care what Baki said," Gaara hissed menacingly, "I've already gotten the first stage of our mission completed."

"Already?!" Kankuro exclaimed in disbelief as he grabbed his younger brother's collar in his hands, "You did it, without TELLING US? But why Gaara? That goes against our plan! Now the ninja of this village are going to get suspicious! They'll already know we're here!"

"That's why I said it doesn't matter. They're all going to die eventually anyway," Gaara growled as he brushed the hands of his older brother releasing his grasp. He glared at his siblings with one final look of death as he quietly walked away into the thick forest. Temari watched him leave and let out a sigh of worry. Kankuro grit his teeth as he trembled in anger.

"Chikshou, that just cuts down even more time for us to get ready for the attack. Why is that he always wants to kill something, I should have seen this coming," he muttered as he slammed the bundle on his back onto the ground and sat on the ground.

"I guess we have no choice then," Temari sighed as she sat down beside her brother. She gave him a gloomy look. Under so much pressure and short deadlines, she was sure that it'd be the end of them soon. Gaara was right.

They were _all _going to die. _Everyone. _

_She never agreed to any of this. _

"Temari, go find the rest of our troops and tell them we'll start the second stage. Get everyone to scatter and get them on stand by. They will be ready to attack on signal."

"Hai," she nodded. He paused giving her a queer look.

"Doushta no? You're worried aren't you? About Gaara."

Temari sighed once more but said nothing. She was too easy to read sometimes.

"You used to be never afraid of anything. The big sister who feared nothing. So why are you afraid now Bibi-kun?" he teased.

"Damare," she muttered as she began to walk away, "Who said I was afraid you idiot. No one I've ever faced has beaten me before. I won't loose to lame Konoha-nin."

She could hear him chuckle as her footsteps were trailing away from him. She clutched the fan on her back and closed her eyes. This was all she had left to rely on. Everything else just seemed to far away from her reach. No one understood the way she felt.

* * *

"It's horrible. They're all dead, Sakura-sama."

Ino gasped as she clasped her hands to her mouth in shock. The surrounding jounin all wore a grim look on their faces. Sakura frowned as she immediately rushed towards the fallen ninjas sides.

Seven of their best jounin, who just yesterday had kept watch over Konoha, were now lying there plastered in blood soaked bodies. Their pale faces were drained of life.

"An attack?" she asked urgently towards Shikamaru.

"By the looks of it, a recent one," he replied as he crouched down to examine them. Sakura rolled up her sleeves but Shikamaru stopped her, "No use trying to heal them. It's too late now. Not even your sensei, the great Tsunade-Hime couldn't save them now."

"Then you know what this means," Sakura said as she stood up and faced her fellow Anbu team members. They nodded their heads with grim seriousness.

"Masaka!" Ino gasped in terror, "They can't be here already!"

"Looks like they've given us a first-hand warning that they mean business. They intend to kill us all. Konoha is now under war. I guess now's the time that we give our guests a "passionate welcome," Sakura said with a sigh.

"Then let's go kick their sorry asses," one of the Anbu yelled with tears in his eyes, "Those bastards! They killed my best friend! Shiro didn't deserve to die like this! Without any honour!"

"We can't act so rashly because of your loss!' Shikamaru retorted back at him, "We'd all end up killed!"

"Still, this is quite odd," Sakura said as she put a thoughtful finger on her chin, "If they had already killed the gate's guards, why now just attack Konoha head on? They would have been granted free passage into our village without anyone to stop them."

"It could be a sign," Shikamaru added, "It probably means they don't have a lot of Shinobi here at the moment and they're still waiting for reinforcement troops to arrive so that they can start their attack. With fewer men on their hands, they can't do as much damage. But still that doesn't mean we shouldn't take caution. The Hokage-sama must be alerted at once! With Konoha being surrounded by Sand-nin, we'll be trapped in our own village until finally more of their people arrive."

"Which is when their war starts. So this is sort of a delay. Revealing their presence like this so openly seems as though they're waiting for us to attack. Almost as they want to lure us out of the gates to fight them. That wouldn't be safe. They could have already set up traps for us and there might troops waiting to ambush. But still we have to go after them. We can't just sit here and do nothing and wait for death to arrive for us all," Sakura said.

"Ja, what should we do?" Ino asked impatiently, "Konoha's in danger as we speak!"

"I don't know. We have to come up with some kind of plan. Either way it seems like they've got us trapped in the middle. But whatever we do, we can't just go out there and face them head on. That'd just be foolish. We must remain calm."

BANG!!!!! 

Sakura whirled her head in surprise as bits of debris began falling from the sky. The outer wall had been struck by some kind of powerful force. But that was impossible. What could the Sand-nin possibly have to make them have the power to do that?

"What the hell was that?!" Shikamaru yelled as he stared at the wall in shock, "They're attacking from the outside?"

Sakura cursed as she quickly leaped towards to top of the wall onto the higher balconies. She glanced over and looked down below to see a cloaked person covering up his or her face. Printed on the cloak was the emblem of the "Suna no Kuni".

_A Sand Ninja._

In their hands held an enormous fan, too large to be a normal size. On it was a pattern of three purple stars (N/A: okay so they're _circles_, but they're called _stars_ in the manga, so I'm going by that). Sakura glared at the fan. It could cause that much damage?

"Leaf-nin! Can you here me? Come out and fight like a true Shinobi. Face us in a fight-to-the-death battle. If any of you Konoha bastards had any pride for your fellow nins, you're troops would have been out here fighting us minutes ago," the person shouted towards Sakura's angered self.

"Sand-nin of the Wind Country. How dare you attack the Walls of Konoha. It is forbidden for you to enter our village. Is the Fire Country not allies with you? Is it passage within these walls what you seek?" Sakura shouted back.

The person laughed, "Stop acting dumb. You know exactly why we're here. So why not just fight us instead? Unless you don't want _him _back . . ."

"Who's _him?_" Sakura asked, now becoming very aggravated.

"Why you'll see," the person chuckled as the fingers snapped from beneath that person's cloak. Another cloaked ninja appeared and it was holding the body of a person captive as a prisoner. Sakura gasped to see who it was.

"HOKAGE-SAMA!" she screamed out in horror.

"That's right!" the person shouted in triumph, "Your dear Hokage is now hostage and is our prisoner. We've actually come here to assassinate him, but unless Konoha surrenders to the Sand Village we will spare him. Surrender now cowards, or else your Hokage dies!"

Sakura grit her teeth in anger as she leaped from the wall and landed in a flash of smoke onto the ground outside of Konoha below.

"DAME SAKURA!" Ino screamed out in protest from below, "Don't do it!"

Too late. Sakura was already on the ground and had already fallen for their trap. In a poof of smoke the Hokage revealed himself to be not the dear Konoha-nin, but instead a disguised Sand-nin who had used Henge no Jutsu. Sakura gasped. She cursed to herself. How could she have fallen for this trick so easily? Only an idiot would have been stupid enough to have.

"Prepare to die Leaf-nin bitch," the person chuckled as she flipped over her hood to reveal spiky blonde pigtails, "I knew people like you

_Could never survive."_

The Sand-nin raised her fan and opened fully with three purple stars revealed. Sakura grit her teeth as she quickly pulled out a single kunai and bent into position ready to attack. The Sand-nin merely laughed as she gave her an evil grin.

"_Ninpou: _**KAMAITACHI!!**_"_

"SAKURA!" Both Ino and Shikamaru exclaimed from outside the gates, as they stood watching in horror at what they saw before their eyes.

* * *

TBC?

Japanese Terms used:

Mattaku-geez

tokubetsu jounin- special jounin (in Naruto, Mitarashi Anko as well as other examiners from the Chuunin Exam are of this rank)

kunoichi-female ninja

Hai,Hai, sugoi sugoi- yea yea great great

Iie chigau- no that's not it

Mouchiro kono deko-deko- Of course you forehead-girl

Hisashiburi- long time no see/it's been awhile

Chikshou- damn it

Doushta no- what's wrong?

Bibi-kun- scaredy cat

Damare- shut up

Masaka- don't tell me that…

Suna no kuni- sand village

Dame sakura- No sakura!

* * *

Ack god, I wrote this such a long time ago, I have no idea what my plot for this story was going to be. A slight Princess Mononoke crossover, but I can't really remember how it was going to go. I'm just going to have to wing it or think up of something else. Lol, don't get too mad if this doesn't turn out well. I'm not good at thinking of battle plans.

Anyways write your comments thanks.


	2. always

I'm pretty pleased with the feedback I'm getting. Doumo minna-san. bows

Lol but I keep getting the problems that every time I update something whatever fic it is it always ends up at the bottom of the list whenever I update.

sighs but anyways enjoy yourselves I worked hard to write this one.

Long live the feedback!

* * *

"SAKURA!!" Ino screamed as she felt the tears of fear roll down from her eyes.

"_Ninpou:_ **KAMAITACHI!!**"

It all happened so fast Sakura couldn't recall how exactly that kind of power could have been generated but with a flash the Sand-nin struck her with a tremendous blow from her enormous fan sending a hail of storming winds directly towards her. Sakura grit her teeth as the oncoming force hit her dead-on. The tornado of deadly winds collided headlong at her body and sent her slamming into the Konoha walls.

"SAKURA!!" Ino cried in horror as the entire troop of Anbu trembled in their shoes.

Temari lowered her fan as she smirked a smile of satisfaction as she allowed the gale to die down. The Sand-nin who had put on the Hokage con stood along with her cackling hysterically. Now that was more like it. These Leaf-nin were like ants she could just simply step on and crush them to their deaths. She hadn't had this much fun for as long as she could remember. Her dark emerald eyes sparkled with delight.

Ino stood frozen rooted to the very ground as though as Shikamaru had laid his Kagemane on her leaving her immobile in his shadow. Her entire body was trembling furiously as her hands were clasped tightly over her mouth. She could feel herself weeping uncontrollably from both inside and out.

Blood began to pour from Sakura's fallen head.

"Incredible…" Shikamaru breathed, as his eyes were open wide with shock, "That enormous force from just a simple fan. Those winds, they have chakra embedded in them…"

Ino merely stood as tears started rolling more than ever. Yet she couldn't deny the rage and anger building with intensity from the very core of her heart. She could feel her heart throbbing from the very severe pain of it.

She could already see the Sand-nin stare straight towards the rest of them.

Her eyebrows furrowed in utmost hatred and fury as she clenched her fists. Her teeth were grit so tightly together that her entire face felt sore. Ino was not going to stand by this. She vowed a vow against the Sand-nin that she'd stay alive until they killed every last one of them.

She'd murder the bitch with the fan with her very hands… 

"And there was one," Temari chuckled as she walked up towards Sakura's fallen body, "Heh this wench ought to be dead, or if she isn't she's obviously playing it so that hopefully I won't kill her…"

She laughed haughtily while Ino watched in resentment as Temari gripped Sakura by her collar and lifted her body from the ground as she spat at her face.

"Disgusting," Temari hissed at her, "You're the first person to die the fastest by my fan. Is this what Konoha has to offer us?"

**_poof!_**

****

"WHAT?!"

In Temari's hands lay not the fallen pink-haired kunoichi, but a mere wooden log.

"Kawarimi?!" Shikamaru gasped, "Uso. Sugoi, she managed to evade such a powerful attack. Talk about the impossible."

Ino just stood there with her jaw hanging from her mouth gaping at the log. She then grinned bitterly as she thought of her friend.

"Stupid Sakura…" Ino thought to herself, "You made me worry about you needlessly. When this is all over I swear you're gonna get it…"

Temari stood furiously as she flung the log to the ground with rage. As she unfurled her fan revealing all three stars as she bent into a battle stance.

"COME OUT YOU WENCH!!" Temari hollered towards the surrounding atmosphere, "FACE ME HEAD-ON AND DEAL WITH YOUR DEATH SOONER THAN TOO LATE!!"

"Sure if you want me so badly."

Temari whirled around to see Sakura with a childish grin as if she was just playing a game of hide-and-seek. Temari smirked as she prepared her attack when suddenly she felt a dagger strike her from behind.

She whirled around and in disbelief she saw another pink-haired shinobi holding kunai-loaded hands. She grinned at Temari as she began to play with them throwing them into the air and catching them as they fell.

_"Is she the one who attacked me?"_ Temari thought as she stared in confusion and shock.

But she was just right in front of me just now. How could she have suddenly appeared from behind to attack me?

Temari whirled around to see that the first Sakura hadn't moved and she too was grinning more than ever.

What the hell is going on? 

She wrenched the kunai free from her back as she angrily held her fan ready to send another gusting blow. But just as she was about to attack one by one more and more of pink-headed ninjas began to appear and soon an army of pink-haired grinning shinobi surrounded the spiky blonde from all angles. All Temari could see were clones of the wretched Leaf-nin from all sides.

"Never underestimate me…" one of them said.

"For Konoha has many to defend its walls…" said another.

"And you're not getting within our walls without a fight."

* * *

_From the Ninja Chronicles comes a legend:_

**TEKI **

Mokushi Roku

_"And when all else fails, the world will see in time. How I will stand strong to bear this pain…"_

__

_

* * *

_

Temari smirked, as she finally understood what was going on. She had her going but not for long. Even with this pathetic attempt to catch her off guard wouldn't work against her. She was highly trained kunoichi. Just a bunch of Bunshin clones wouldn't work against someone of her level.

"Nice trick Leaf-nin," Temari called out towards the crowd, "But more of you doesn't make you any better.

All I have to do is decrease the numbers…"

She took out her fan once more but this time it only revealed one purple star. This must be her defensive position Sakura thought to herself. Yet although she was going on the defensive that didn't mean her opponent was the least bit afraid of what was to come.

But nonetheless, Sakura was still going to carry out her plan.

"Genjutsu?" said one of the Anbu watching in puzzlement, "What does Sakura-sama think she's doing? Her enemy is strong, how can she win with such simple technique?"

"I don't know but this doesn't look good," agreed another.

The rest of the Anbu troop nodded in agreement as Ino clenched her fists once more.

"You bunch of idiots!" Ino cried out as they all fell silent, "How can you underrate your leader? She told the Sand-nin not to underestimate her! But the rest of you are on her side and yet you're the ones who are doing so!"

None of them said a word as Ino searched for shame and guilt in their eyes yet most of them just wore hopeless looks and fear of impending doom to come.

"Sakura's major is in the area of Genjutsu and Chakra Control," Shikamaru said breaking the silence, "She is mastered in those arts and within her mind are stored information and knowledge of a thousand Shinobi put together. Her intelligence and analytical skills give her strength. Not to mention she was tutored by the great Tsunade-sama."

The all of them stared at Shikamaru surprised at what he had said. They took one look at him then to Sakura out on the battlefields.

"Besides," Shikamaru sighed as he turned to face them, "You don't believe she can win this but you're wrong. In battle the intended outcome can be many things. In this case Sakura fights as a diversion for us."

"A diversion?" Ino asked.

"Observe," Shikamaru indicated to the outside forests.

Behind the battle between Sakura and Temari lay a whole line of hidden Sand-nin blending into the environment. They were almost completely invisible yet you could still tell they were there. The troops were already beginning to move onto the other sides of the Konoha wall defenses.

"This sand-nin here must have challenged us right up front just to create a distraction for the rest of them to attack. Our main focus now is not the well-being of Sakura but to stop those troops from entering the village. And while I'm standing here explaining to all you imbeciles, we've already wasted far beyond irreplaceable time."

"Shikamaru, doushio?" Ino asked as she tried desperately not to panic.

"Stay calm," Shikamaru assured her, "Akira, Narumi. Send messages to the rest of the inner wall guards to keep a look out for those troops prepare for attack. Inform the Hokage-sama at once! Request for full frontal troops! All jounins are required to fight."

"Hai! Nara-sama," the two nodded as they disappeared in flashes.

"The rest of us are going for battle. Right here, right now," Shikamaru shouted the rest of his orders.

"But Sakura said it wasn't safe for us to go into guerilla warfare," Ino protested, "Don't you see? They want us to come out to fight them. The traps they will have set for us¾"

"I know," Shikamaru said sternly, "But we must do something. If we go out now, we'll have to risk being ambushed or falling into death traps. Yet if we don't go and stay they'll reach within our walls. That's what we don't want. Fighting within our village will cause panic between the citizens. More innocent people will die. We want to wipe out these troops as soon as we can."

"I don't agree with this," Ino said as she stared at Shikamaru right in the eye, "But right now I don't know any better. When we need leaders now is the time. So I will follow you to the end. Even if this isn't the right decision of dealing with this situation."

The rest of the Anbu troop nodded. They were all in panic because of how they didn't know what to do. Like Shikamaru thought.

They were only good for following orders.

* * *

"Good, that ought to keep Temari entertained for a good while," Kankuro smirked as she watched his sister take on the army of clones, "Even though this really isn't what she's used to."

Kankuro hoisted his large puppet over his back and then cloaked himself to hide within the bushes. Soon it would be the time for their next stage, which was to storm the city where the defenses were the weakest. They had already gotten the main gates preoccupied to notice their true intentions. They'd never find out that it wasn't they way to planned to infiltrate Konoha by. They'd attack from the east and west gates.

"Kankuro-sama, ready for orders sir," a sand-nin appeared by his side, "Troops are ready into position. Awaiting you're command to attack sir."

"Yosh, tell them we're ready to move out," Kankuro replied, "I will lead the first troop to the east gate, Gaara will lead the second to the west. If anything happens just continue with the mission at all costs."

"I'll be sure to inform Gaara-sama then," the ninja nodded.

"What is the status of our troops from Suna no Kuni? Have they arrived yet?"

"According to Baki-sama's orders, we are to attack first. Once we've gotten Konoha's defenses weak and vulnerable to further attacks, the main troops will be ready to wipe out the entire city. They will arrive by next morning."

"Remember not to kill those of bloodline heritage," Kankuro muttered, "We'll want their techniques for our own."

"Youkai," the ninja nodded as he disappeared into the foliage leaving no trail of signs behind.

Kankuro sighed as he stood up to follow him. He gave Karasu his puppet a pat to make sure everything was in place then took one last glance back at Temari. Her battle had already become quite intense. He watched grimly as she began to swing her fan furiously sending gusts and blows in all directions sending them towards the clones. Almost as though she was dancing with the winds all around her and creating hurricanes with every step. Yet by the look on her face he could tell how frustrated she was getting every time she destroyed a whole horde of clones more kept appearing. The numbers did not decrease but instead began to grow with every sweep from her fan. Not only did she have to find the original but she also had to defend from the kunais and shurikens that were thrown towards her from all sides.

The jutsu caster must be hiding somewhere so that she can attack her while the clones were distracting Temari.

It was amazing how much a simple jutsu was driving Temari to the extreme. Her opponent must be very clever in doing so.

"Come on onee-san," her brother sighed as the slicing winds began to pierce the surrounding atmosphere, "They're only illusions…"

"KANKURO! TAIHEN!"

Kankuro whirled around in shock as suddenly another ninja appeared at his side. In fury he grabbed the shinobi and flung him against a tree.

"WHAT NOW?!" he hissed as the sand-nin shook in terror in his grip.

"I-It's about G-Gaara-sama," the sand-nin gasped as he tried to breathe, "He's g-g-gone…"

"WHAT?!"

Kankuro threw the shinobi to the ground in fury. He clenched his teeth together trying to sustain his sudden uncontrollable anger building inside of him.

"When did you last see him?!"

"H-Heading towards the west g-gate," the ninja cried, "S-said something about proving his existence…"

Kankuro paused, as his eyes grew wide with disbelief. The last time Gaara had said that, nearly a thousand people were killed…

He knew bringing him on this mission would make him unstable. He was already showing signs of _changing _back into his original form.

Kankuro would not let that happen. Even though Konoha would be wiped out but he would get them all killed.

"Why didn't you stop him?!" Kankuro snapped at him, "Don't you even know what this means?!"

"He threatened to kill anyone who got in his way," The shinobi whispered back in a half-dead tone, "He's already injured half of our troop. W-We can't fight like this!!"

This was not good. Kankuro frowned. They already had to change plans once because of Gaara but now it was already falling to pieces. Now they couldn't focus on attacking Konoha like this. It would only make Gaara even more unstable. If worse came to worse they'd all be dead by the time the main troops arrived.

They had to stop Gaara… 

"Troop B will abort this mission. Our new mission will be to capture Gaara and return him into a more stable state before we attack."

"S-Shouldn't we inform the other troop first?"

"No, let them carry on with taking down the east gate," Kankuro said firmly, "Even though I'm not there, they should still proceed along with the mission. Hurry we must head towards the west gate. We've got to stop Gaara before it's too late."

* * *

"Oi lazy ass! Get up already."

Kakashi slowly opened his eyes as droopy as they were. Yet he knew that it was already late for that important meeting he was supposed to attend to that morning. Ahh, oh well there were always plenty of other important meetings anyways. He was sure that one of these days he'd wake up on time. What? Was it his fault that he was up training last night, and the night before, and the night before that, and…

"I SAID GET UP!!"

WHAM! 

A pillow had collided into his face messing up even more of his messy hair. He sighed as he finally got out of bed and laid his feet on the floor.

"Is it normally a habit that you come to give people's wake up calls Anko?" he mumbled sleepily. Kakashi sighed as his droopy eyes faced the energetic purple haired jounin with a sweatdrop on his face. She stood there with her hands on her hips glaring right back at him as she stuck out her tongue.

"Actually I was the one who threw the pillow."

Kakashi turned to see the formidable and highly respected Anbu interrogation and investigation leader Morino Ibiki. The two of them stared at Kakashi with disbelief as Anko shook her head. Kakashi smiled as he made his way to the washroom.

"And to think I thought I'd catch you this morning without your mask," Anko sighed as she pulled out a dango sweet and began chewing on it.

"Heh, get real. Besides couldn't you think of a better way of waking me up than just whacking me with a pillow?"

"Ha, it was either that," Ibiki grinned, "Or I was going to get Anko to crash through your window with one of her "fancy" entrances."

"Hey! The genins like it when I enter the Chuunin exam like that!" Anko exclaimed back in defense as she shook a fist at Ibiki.

"Of course you always have to pay the repair costs for doing that."

Anko blushed as she said nothing then went back to eating her dango with a sour look on her face. Kakashi laughed, the two of them were just too much.

"So why are you guys here anyway?" Kakashi asked as he opened the latch to his window. The other two fell silent. Kakashi turned back towards them as he saw the change of attitude and mood in their faces.

"The Sand-nin, they're right outside Konoha's walls," Ibiki sighed as he sat down, "They arrived here just this morning. And I'm amazed you slept right through it."

Kakashi frowned, as he said nothing and then turned back out to look out his window. Anko ate another dango piece as she continued.

"The inner wall defenses are trying their best to fight off the sand troops. We're requested to be there as well. Ibiki has to go soon to report to Anbu headquarters to escort a squad to the east gates. Every jounin in the village has to meet with the Hokage-sama for orders. Ibiki and I were pretty sure you would have overslept again so we came to give you your morning call."

Kakashi sighed as did a couple of stretches then began to start to put on his jounin uniform. He tied his headband around his head to cover his Sharingan though he doubted it would be covered for long. He would definitely be needing it soon. For a while the three of them stood in silence as though they were all lost in their own thoughts. Although it probably wouldn't have taken much for them to know what each other was thinking about.

_War was upon them._

"Kakashi how long does it take you to dress?!" Anko exclaimed impatiently, "You take five minutes just to zip up your vest!"

"Ahh the woman's right," Ibiki nodded with a grin, "We're leaving now. You take way too damn long. No wonder you're always late."

"Jesus I'm coming guys," Kakashi said back with and apologetic look, "That is after I take a piss first."

* * *

**TBC?**

Terms:

Doushio- what should we do?

Yosh-good

Youkai-Roger

Onee-san-big sister

* * *

Second chapter complete.

And err I personally think I could have done more but anyways…

Well you guys are the ones to judge. So leave a review

Ja minna-san


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